Shiites mark Ashura around the world

Turkish Shiite men beat their hands against their chests during an Ashura ceremony in Istanbul.  (Murad Sezer / Associated Press)

Turkish Shiite women hold up chains as part of the Istanbul religious ceremony. Ashura is held on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram. Although most of Turkey’s predominantly Muslim population is from Islam’s Sunni sect, a small minority of Shiites also live in the country.  (Murad Sezer / Associated Press)

A Bahraini raises his bloodied hand in the air on Wednesday in Muharraq, Bahrain, during the commemoration of Ashura.  (Hasan Jamali / Associated Press)

Iranian actors perform during a religious procession for Ashura in Ardebil, Iran. The actor wearing red performs as an enemy of Imam Hussein while the actor at right plays the part of a follower of the imam.  (Hasan Sarbakhshian / Associated Press)

Lebanese Shiite Muslim women listen to the death story of Imam Hussein in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.  (Hussein Malla / Associated Press)

Iranian and Iraqi Shiites beat their chests during a ritual held on the final day of the mourning period of Ashura inside Tehran’s Karbalaiya mosque.  (Behrouz Mehri / AFP / Getty Images)